Truth Untold
by Holly Preston
Summary: NOT copied from Piper...i am Piper aka Holly Preston! GREAT STORY, NEEDS REVIEWS! Draco Malfoy goes to Hogwarts for his 5th yr. he meets "her" and then.....read on!
1. Default Chapter

CHAPTER 1: The Beginning of it all  
  
It was very late at night in the Malfoy Manor; Draco Malfoy stood up quickly. He had fallen out of bed the seventh time in a row this week.  
  
Oh not again, he thought.  
  
He fell out of bed each night, because of the exact same dream; he was sitting with Hermione Granger in one of the corridors at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft Wizardry. It was very late, maybe three o'clock in the morning in the, he was leaning over to kiss her and she suddenly stood up. Then Draco felt like he was falling into an endless black hole. And that's when he woke up on the floor, normally staring at the ceiling. But not tonight, he jumped up very suddenly; maybe it was because his had enough of it.  
  
Draco considered this to be a very bad nightmare. Normally because he hated Hermione. He never really called her by her first name. It felt somewhat strange, hearing it in his head felt like something, or someone he didn't know. He usually made her miserable by calling her a Mudblood, a Muggle born witch or wizard. She really hated it, Draco could tell by the look on her face when he said her name with total disrespect. She never did anything except cry. Sometimes her two best friends Ron Weasley and Harry Potter, try to beat him up, but are afraid to come near Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, two of Draco's friends.  
  
Draco didn't really have any true friends, the kind you could talk with for hours and never get bored. He dated Pansy Parkinson, but she was hardly considered a friend, let alone a decent girlfriend. She never did what he asked her to do. She also never really hung out with him or kissed him, like some other girlfriends do. The only time they were ever together was the Yule Ball last year. As Draco was thinking about all this, he began to start feeling drowsy, his eyes were starting to close.he lay back on his bed, pulled the covers on himself and fell back into a dreamless sleep.  
  
* * *  
  
Morning came pretty fast. Draco's mother, Narcissa, came in his room to pull up the blinds on the window. She had to do this every morning now, since they had lost their House Elf Dobby three years ago. Thanks to Harry Potter who had tricked Draco's father, Lucius, into giving him one of his dirty socks, in order to free Dobby. Sun streamed in, almost blinding Draco.  
  
"Mother." he groaned.  
  
"Oh, Draco, you have to be a decent young man and wake up at least earlier than afternoon."  
  
"But Father's decent, and he doesn't wake up until one thirty."  
  
"Yes, well you father is a very busy man, and your not. So get a move on it." And with that she left the room.  
  
"Oh man, this is just great. It's only eleven thirty and she's already getting on my nerves." he said quietly to himself.  
  
He got out of bed quickly, brushed his teeth and took a shower. Then put on some black baggy pants and a navy blue T-shirt and went downstairs where his mother was making some eggs benedict for him.While he was waiting, he turned on the television set. He had begged his father to buy him one, even though it was Muggle built. His family had a rule about Muggle things in their home. There was nothing interesting on, so his mother told him to turn on the news. The Ministry of Magic hooked up Witch weekly to their programming. Today on Witch Weekly News Report Worldwide, one of Azkaban's most wanted suspects was captured; his name was Fredrick Ziel. He was a thin, pale man with a beard and a mustache. His clothes were torn and it seemed like he was trying very hard to look like a Muggle, but did a bad job of it. He was wearing checkered pants and hat. His shirt was blue and torn at the sides and across the front.  
  
Another report was on a new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts. This caught Draco's eye. The new teacher was a woman who looked like she was in her late thirties. In the picture they had of her, she was wearing an emerald cloak and a matching hat. She was said to be a Slytherin student as well as Draco. Her name was Hannah Butane. She was prefect for Slytherin House when she went to school. She sounded all right to Draco; at least she was better that all the rest of the Defense against the Dark Arts teachers they have had so far.  
  
* * *  
  
Soon evening came and Draco's mother got a call from her sister-in law, Draco's aunt, Sara Malfoy. The conversation lasted pretty long. Draco didn't feel like listening to them talk through the fireplace, so he went up to his room. An hour later, Narcissa appeared in his room.  
  
"Your aunt wants you to know Rachel is coming to the Leaky Cauldron two weeks before school starts." Narcissa said, looking at Draco expecting him to answer, so he did.  
  
"I thought Rachel went to Durmstrang? What does she want the Leaky Cauldron for?" Draco asked, looking rather curious.  
  
"Oh that's right, you don't know. Rachel is transferring to Hogwarts, because Sara and Nick are going to move closer. But for the meantime, they're staying at the Cauldron." Narcissa said.  
  
"Really? That's great!" Draco cried  
  
Rachel was his favorite cousin. She was about five-foot eight, only one inch shorter than him. She had elbow length blonde hair, with the same exact cold gray eyes as Draco. She was also a year older than him.  
  
Draco was going to Diagon Alley to get his things for school as soon as he got his list of supplies from Hogwarts. Draco heard something rattle, but it was only his Viper, Dragon, he had knocked over a rock. Then Draco heard a screeching sound, and before he managed to turn around to face the source of it, Fin, his eagle owl came swooping in carrying two parcels. One of them was what looked like a letter, and the other one looked like an early Birthday present for Draco. Fin dropped the two parcels on his lap and flew back out the window. The letter was from Hogwarts. It read:  
  
  
  
Dear Mr. Malfoy,  
  
Once again, you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for the fifth year. Enclosed are your list of books and supplies for the upcoming year. Term begins September 1st.  
  
Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus  
  
Minerva McGonagall  
  
  
  
Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress  
  
  
  
  
  
UNIFORM  
  
Fifth-year students will require:  
  
1set dress robes  
  
Three sets of plain work robes (black)  
  
One plain pointed hat (black) for daywear  
  
One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)  
  
One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)  
  
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry nametags  
  
COURSE BOOKS  
  
All students should have a copy of each of the following:  
  
The Standard book of Spells (Grade 5) by Miranda Goshawk  
  
How Fungi Works by Melinda Berg  
  
What's an Advanced Potion? By Bertie Belle  
  
What is an Animagus? By Sarinda Duterspellion  
  
Apparition (Grade 5) by Pearl Pulvich  
  
Magic Creatures by Ashley Catpurse  
  
Advanced Palm Reading by Belinda Morse  
  
Advanced Dream Archaeology by Samuel Moth  
  
Dangerous Monsters (Grade 5) by Anne Boise  
  
Pearly White Crystal Ball a novel by Zelda Speller  
  
See Into the Future by Sabrina Coleman  
  
The Dark Arts: Spells, Hexes and Curses and How to Prevent Them by Quentin Tremble  
  
Hogwarts, A History by Whitney White  
  
OTHER EQUIPMENT  
  
1 wand  
  
1 cauldron (brass, size 10)  
  
1 set of glass or crystal phials  
  
1 telescope  
  
1 set brass scales  
  
Wow, Draco thought, only thirteen books this year, not bad, maybe I'll have enough money to buy a Firebolt Five Thousand.  
  
His thoughts were soon cut off by his mother's voice.  
  
"Draco, honey, get ready for bed, we're leaving early tomorrow to buy your school supplies. And don't even think about opening your Birthday present until September twenty first!" she appeared in the doorway, she had obviously heard the racket he was making with the post.  
  
"Awe, but why mother? Since I got it today, it only makes sense that I open it today." whined Draco.  
  
"No." his mother said and he knew better than to argue with her. He decided he'd better go to sleep. Narcissa turned off the lights in his room, went out and closed the door behind her. 


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2: The Girl  
  
Draco woke up in the morning feeling still a bit tired. He didn't have any dreams except one. He dreamt he saw a girl, he didn't know her. But she was someone he'd never seen before in his life. She had very long black hair; she was at least a little shorter than Draco was. She had pale skin and really beautiful dark blue eyes, so dark they almost looked black. She had been standing next to a black cat with blood red eyes. She also had a black owl that was perched on her shoulder and a small fuzzy animal in her left hand.  
  
When he had finally shaken the image out of his mind, he remembered he had to go to Diagon Alley today. He got out of bed, changed into some baggy green pants and a sky blue button down shirt, and went downstairs to get some breakfast. There were only three things different about him this year; he was slightly muscular, taller and he gave up on gelling his hair back.  
  
"Morning Draco. Sleep well?" asked Narcissa.  
  
"If you say so.. Sure." he sat down to eat his toast.  
  
When he finally finished, he went upstairs to get his letter from Hogwarts. He went back downstairs and told his mother he was ready to go. "All right. Just a second, let me get my purse." she walked to the other room and got it.  
  
"Okay, we haven't any more Floo Powder. We're going to have to go by bus."  
  
"Err.. Okay." said Draco.  
  
He hated the bus; the Muggles were very strange. The women kept staring at Draco as if he was a criminal and was going to steal either they're children or their bags. There was also a man, who kept asking Draco if he's seen a UFO, whatever that was.  
  
When they reached their stop, they got out and walked to the Leaky Cauldron. Narcissa let him get a Butterbeer before they went into Diagon Alley.  
  
"All right, let's go to Gringott's first, then I'll leave you to do your shopping. If you need to find me, I'll be in Knockturn Alley."  
  
"'Kay." was all he said. He was busy staring at a very familiar girl; he just didn't know how he knew her.  
  
"Draco?" Narcissa called.  
  
"Huh? Oh, yeah I'm coming," said Draco.  
  
They walked into Gringott's and told one of the goblins that worked there, "Volt three hundred-nine please." said Narcissa.  
  
"Sherwood! Help these people, volt three hundred-nine." as soon as the goblin had yelled, a smaller one came out and led Draco and Narcissa out to the little cart that would lead them both to the volts.  
  
It took them about half an hour when they finally returned. When they came out of the building, Draco and Narcissa headed out in separate directions.  
  
When he had entered Flourish and Blotts to get his course books, Draco saw the same girl standing at the counter. Her waist long silky black hair swaying from side to side when she talked and pointed to the books on her list. The owner of the store looked up and saw Draco. He was a short chubby man with graying hair.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Malfoy. I'll be right with you; I just have to get Miss. Haliwell her books. Please take a look around." Draco nodded and went to look at some books on the shelves. But what he was really looking at was the girl. It was about five minutes past when the owner told Draco it was his turn. He walked up to the counter.  
  
"I need all of the fifth year books. And Moste Potente Potions, my mother needs it." said Drake. He handed the man his list of course books and a signed note from his mother saying that he had permission to buy Moste Potent Potions. Since it was a book not meant for amateurs in potion making.  
  
The man went and got the books and when he came back he said, "All right then, here you go. All fifth yearbooks including Most Potent Potions. That will be.let's see.twenty Galleons and seventeen Knuts."  
  
Draco handed him the money, grabbed his books and headed out the door to Madame Malkin's Robes for all Occasions. When he stepped into the shop, there was already someone getting fitted, so Madame Malkin told Draco to wait. He sat down and waited until it was his turn. When it finally was, he stepped up on the stool while the enchanted scissors and measuring tape flew around him and did their job. When they were done, he hopped down from the stool, picked up his bag of heavy course books, paid and headed out the door.  
  
Since he was beginning to get hungry, and he didn't have enough money to buy a Firebolt five thousand, he decided to treat himself to some ice crème with his left over money. While he was eating, the three people he least wanted to see right now walked up to the ice crème shop he was sitting at. "Oh look, if isn't Pothead, Weasel and their little Mudblood friend?" Draco said out loud.  
  
"Get stuffed Malfoy!" Harry Potter insisted.  
  
"Why should I shut it? Admit it Potter, it is the truth." said Draco, smirking at them.  
  
"Let me at him!" Ron Weasley yelled, trying to reach Draco's face so he could punch it.  
  
"No, Ron! There's no point in fighting over some lame comeback!" Hermione Granger yelled while trying to help Harry keep Ron back at the same time.  
  
When Ron finally settled down, Hermione said to the lot of them, "I hope you know that this is the smartest way for me to deal with this, I hope you like mint on your shirt as much as you do eating it." And with that she grabbed Draco's ice crème cone and smeared it all over his shirt, leaving a big green stain on his clean shirt.  
  
Draco stood up.  
  
"Oh you dirty Mudblood, what did you do that for?" he yelled.  
  
"You know perfectly well why. First you insult my friends and me, then you expect me to be nice! Well ha ha, very funny." said Hermione sarcastically.  
  
"You'll pay for that Mudblood! You and your good for nothing friends!" he yelled after her, Harry and Ron as they walked away from him laughing.  
  
Draco whipped out his wand and got rid of his stain. Even though he could just get rid of the stain that fast, he still needed to get back at her. He hated them because they were from Gryffindor and Harry had picked Ron over him to be his friend their first year. Draco was in Slytherin. There were four houses at Hogwarts: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Even though he hated Hermione, he couldn't help thinking how different she looked this year. She was wearing a black long-sleeved shirt that had safety pins above the chest, all the way across. The shirt had black fishnet sleeves and she was wearing black fishnet stockings, a short black skirt with ridges and black combat boots. Her hair was also straight and she was wearing makeup. She looked quite pretty, but he still hated her.  
  
After Draco had stopped wandering around and had fished his mother out from Knockturn Alley, they both went back to the Leaky Cauldron. He saw his Aunt Sara, Uncle Nick and Rachel there. They all talked for a while, until it was time for Draco and Rachel to get to bed. They had to go to Platform nine and three quarters, at Kings Cross train station tomorrow to get to Hogwarts. 


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3: The Present  
  
That morning he was allowed to open his Birthday present since his Aunt and Uncle wanted to see the smile on Draco's face when he opened it. His mother was gone, so she hadn't any idea he was opening it early. When he did open it, he got Wisk's Great Broom Polishing Kit.  
  
"Great, now I can polish my Nimbus two thousand-one. Thanks." said Draco.  
  
"Or something else rather than your Nimbus." said Nick.  
  
"What do you mean?" Draco asked him.  
  
"Here, open this." Nick handed him a long, bulky package.  
  
"Is this what I think it is?" said Draco, staring at his uncle suspiciously.  
  
"Open it." said Nick, a great look of delight spread over his face.  
  
Draco opened it, having a little trouble pulling off the tape. When he finally got the top and bottom open, he ripped the sides and pulled out the new broom that he got. It was a Firebolt Five Thousand.  
  
"Wow thanks!" said Draco, delight in his voice.  
  
Right now, it seemed that he was in an even happier mood than he was before. He ran he fingers over the smooth charcoal black wood. The words Firebolt five thousand were beautifully crafted in bronze on the end of the broomstick. He couldn't believe it; he was actually holding a broomstick better than any one else's in his school. This was greater than great. It was better.  
  
"So, do you like it?" said Nick.  
  
"Very much. Wow, thanks." said Draco.  
  
"Good. Well you and Rachel better pack you things. We're leaving in an hour. Right Rachel?" said Nick, looking at her.  
  
"Right," she said, nodding, "Come on Draco."  
  
"Coming." he said. He picked up his broom and polishing kit and went up to the hotel room to pack his things in his trunk.  
  
When they were all packed and ready to go they took the ministry car that Nick and Sara rented for the day. As soon as they got to Kings Cross Station, they took some carts to carry Draco and Rachel's luggage in. Nick and Sara said goodbye and wished both of them good luck as they went into the station. They started to walk up to Platform nine and three quarters when Draco saw Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ron's little sister Ginny, standing in front of it waiting for the people in front of them to step onto it. Ron turned around and saw Draco and Rachel approaching. Since Rachel was going to be a new student at Hogwarts, nobody there had ever seen her before.  
  
"Well, look, Malfoy's got himself a girlfriend! Honestly, who would ever go out with you Malfoy, if no body likes you?" Ron pointed at Draco's direction.  
  
"Chill, Weasley! She's my cousin." Draco shouted back at him.  
  
"Oh. Well.never mind then." said Ron, blushing, probably because Rachel looked at him like he was insane.  
  
"He's got a better chance of getting a girlfriend than you." said Rachel, she and Draco approaching them.  
  
Hermione stepped up to Rachel and stared her directly in the eyes, shaking with anger.  
  
"Why do all you Malfoys always have to be so mean to people you hardly even know?" said Hermione.  
  
"I don't know. Why do you always expect everyone to be nice to you?" said Rachel, staring back at her.  
  
"You answer me first!" said Hermione.  
  
"I don't have to answer your pathetic questions, now move!" said Rachel.  
  
"I don't have to move!" said Hermione.  
  
"Flake off!" said Rachel. And she and Draco walked in front of them, onto the platform.  
  
Draco looked back at them, Ginny was trying to comfort Hermione, even though she was refusing it and staring at Draco and Rachel with hatred in her eyes. Draco didn't care he thought it was rather funny, the way Rachel insulted her. She wasn't as good as him though, but good enough.  
  
They both stashed away their trunks in the department where everybody's belongings were. The only things they took with themselves were their Hogwarts uniforms and some parchment, quills and ink. They found a compartment in the middle of the Hogwarts Express and sat down in it. No sooner had they each made themselves comfortable; Rachel took out her book and Draco was staring out the window. Then the compartment door opened. There stood the girl Draco had seen in Flourish and Blotts. Her hair was pulled into a neat ponytail. Her olive shaped dark green eyes contrasted wonderfully against her slightly freckled face.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize there was anyone in here." she said.  
  
"That's all right. Err. .What's your name?" said Draco.  
  
"Piper Haliwell." at this Rachel looked up from her book: Hogwarts, A History.  
  
"Hi, I'm Draco Malfoy." he stretched out his had to shake hers.  
  
"Hi." said Piper, smiling at him and shaking his hand.  
  
"Are you new at Hogwarts?" said Draco.  
  
"Yeah, I just transferred from Durmstrang." said Piper. Rachel was looking at her with disgust. "What's wrong with you?" Draco asked her.  
  
"Oh nothing. Absolutely nothing." said Rachel and continued reading.  
  
But as soon as he whipped around to look at Piper, she had gone.  
  
"See, you made her leave." said Draco. He looked back at Rachel.  
  
"No, I didn't." said Rachel.  
  
"Do you know her? Were you two enemies at Durmstrang or something?" said Draco.  
  
"Maybe." said Rachel, and continued reading.  
  
Draco pulled out some parchment to write his parents:  
  
Dear Mother and Father,  
  
I got on the Hogwarts Express fine. How are you doing? I'm fine. There's another new girl at Hogwarts from Durmstrang besides Rachel. Uncle Nick and Aunt Sara let me open their present; it was Wisk's Great Broom Polishing Kit. And you won't believe this! They got me a FIREBOLT 5000! Well write back. I'll see you when I come back!  
  
Love,  
  
Draco Malfoy  
  
When he finished, he folded up the piece of parchment and stuffed it into his pants. 


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4: The Arrival  
  
When they finally reached Hogsmeade Station, Draco looked everywhere for Piper. Rachel had left him. Rubeus Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper, called her to come with him so she could get sorted before the beginning of the year feast started. He walked around for a couple more minutes; he couldn't find Crabbe and Goyle anywhere either so he just found a carriage to ride in to Hogwarts. The carriage was full of second year girls. Some of them screamed when it started to move.  
  
After a good fifteen minutes of girls' giggling, staring, screaming, pointing and whispering, they had finally arrived. The horseless carriages each stopped to let everyone out. Draco got out, finally found Crabbe and Goyle; they were in the carriage behind the one he was sitting in. They all went up to the castle, and into the Great Hall where they sat down at the Slytherin table with the rest of the fifth years.  
  
When everyone had came in, the double doors to the hall opened and Professor McGonagall led the scared little first years to the front of the Great Hall. Draco remembered four years ago when he was standing up there, dreading to be sorted into anything less than Slytherin. Professor McGonagall pulled up a three-legged stool and held up the Sorting Hat.  
  
"Welcome back to Hogwarts everyone. Now, when I call your name, you will come forth, I shall place the Sorting Hat on your head and you will be sorted into your houses." said Professor McGonagall.  
  
"Ankara, John!"  
  
A pale little boy with red hair walked up to the stool, sat down in it, and a couple of seconds later, the sorting hat had shouted, "RAVENCLAW!" The Ravenclaw table exploded with applause.  
  
"Bellevue, Sheryl!"  
  
"HUFFLEPUFF!"  
  
"Bunts, Ashley!"  
  
"SLYTHERIN!"  
  
Ashley Bunts was a stout girl. She went and sat down to a couple of third year girls. When they finished sorting, there were two Ravenclaws, seven Gryffindors, six Hufflepuffs and three Slytherins.  
  
Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster, stood up and waited until the noise from the crowd had died down.  
  
"Now. This is a new year and I know all of you are excited." he paused and looked at the lot of them.  
  
"There will be a number of occasions happening this year. First, I would like to announce that Quidditch will be in its normal season, the new captains had been picked. The captain for Gryffindor is none other than Harry Potter!" there was loud cheering at the Gryffindor table for Harry. Dumbledore waited for the noise to die down patiently.  
  
"The new captain for Slytherin is Draco Malfoy!" The Slytherin table erupted with even louder cheering for Draco. He was so happy. Now he'll show that Potter what Quidditch is all about. Dumbledore continued.  
  
"Sadly, we don't have Cedric Diggory with us anymore, due to the events of last year. So the position for Seeker for Hufflepuff will be filled. Auditions are going to be held at noon on the thirteenth of September. Quidditch will start a little later than usual this year, so I suggest you all to keep your eyes open for fliers hanging on the walls.  
  
"Second, I would like to say that there will be a Yule Ball happening on the twenty fifth of December, which, of coarse is Christmas. The rules apply are the same. Anyone who wishes to go has to be in the fourth year and above. Which means that if you are in the years four, five, six and seven, you have the permission to invite a students below your year, so they have the opportunity to enjoy the ball as much as you do.  
  
"Thirdly, I would like to say that there are five new students in two of the upper grades. Their names are Piper Haliwell, fifth year Slytherin, Rachel Malfoy, sixth year Slytherin, Aislinn Njass, fifth year Slytherin, Prudence Masengrea, fifth year Gryffindor and Peeper PouPea, fifth year Gyffindor. I trust you will all make them feel at home. That is all. Let the feast begin!"  
  
As soon as he had said that, the plates in front of them all filled with different kinds of delicious food. The house ghosts all swooped in the Great Hall. The Bloody Baron, who was the Slytherin house ghost and covered with silver blood stains, swooped on top of the table and waved his sword, laughing.  
  
"Look, it's the Bloody Baron!" some first years laughed, pointing.  
  
When the feast ended, Draco, Crabbe and Goyle all went down to the dungeons to the Slytherin common room.  
  
* * *  
  
The next day, Draco felt extremely tired. He couldn't get to sleep last night, so he stayed up until three in the morning. His alarm clock rang at six o'clock. He got dressed in his uniform, and headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast.  
  
Professor Snape, the head of Slytherin house, gave everyone in his house a piece of parchment, which had their schedules on it. Draco tried to find Rachel, but soon remembered that she was still in the common room with the rest of the new girls. Draco's schedule had three classes with the Gryffindors:  
  
8:00-9:00 Care of Magical Creatures (Slytherin with Gryffindor)  
  
9:10-10:40 Herbology (Slytherin with Hufflepuff)  
  
10:50-11:50 Transfiguration (Slytherin with Gryffindor)  
  
LUNCH  
  
1:10-2:10 Divination (Slytherin with Hufflepuff)  
  
2:20-3:20 Arithmancy (Slytherin with Ravenclaw)  
  
BREAK  
  
Double Potions (Slytherin with Gryffindor)  
  
4:40-5:40 1st Hour  
  
BREAK  
  
6:00-7:00 2nd Hour  
  
DINNER  
  
Some of the Slytherin fifth years groaned when they read what they had. Draco did too.  
  
When he finished his breakfast, he got up and went outside to Care of Magical Creatures. It was extremely cold out; the sky looked like it was about to rain. Draco shivered; it was too early for them to be outside.  
  
"Ah, there yeh are, Malfoy." Hagrid called to him. "Yeh're la'. Now pick a cage and stan' next to yer partner. She's over there." He pointed to a girl who looked very similar to Piper, except she didn't have freckles. Her hair was hanging in strands in front of her face. Piper was partnered off with Harry Potter.  
  
Draco walked over to his partner; she was already standing next to a very large cage, which was covered up with a towel.  
  
"What are we supposed to be doing this time?" he asked Hagrid.  
  
"Yeh'll find out. Now wait until I call yer name and see if yeh're all here. Then take off the towels and yeh'll see what you will be takin' care of fer the year." He paused to see the look on the students' faces. "What do you mean? 'See what you will be taking care of'?" said Draco.  
  
"Well, it's exactly what it sounds like. In these cages under the towels here, there are different kinds of birds. Each of yeh will be takin' care of the species yeh get. Each day, yeh will have homework to research what each of these creatures eat and how they live. Today, after I give the word, yeh will uncover the creature yeh will have to take care of fer the rest of the semester.  
  
"Now. Today's home and class work will be fer yeh all ter write notes on yer creature. Yeh will discuss with yer partner what name yer creature will have and how yeh will take care of it." said Hagrid. He wrote something on the piece of parchment he was holding and then looked up at all of them.  
  
"When I'm finished talkin', lift the cover and come here ter get the paper that includes what species yer creature is and what the best ways ter take care of it are. All right. Go ahead now." Hagrid finished and there was a hustle to uncover the cages and controversy over who would get the paper from Hagrid.  
  
Draco uncovered the cage and inside was a large beautifully coloured bird. The body was ebony and it's eyes were scarlet.  
  
The girl he was supposed to working with had gone to get the paper Hagrid was handing out. When she had come back she was clutching in her shivering hands.  
  
"Wow." she muttered, staring at the bird.  
  
"Yeah, I know. .What's your name?" said Draco.  
  
"Aislinn Njass." she said.  
  
"Oh, I'm Draco Malfoy." he said.  
  
"Hi." said Aislinn.  
  
"Hi. What type of bird is it?" said Draco.  
  
"Oh, um.it's a Red Eyed Phoenix." said Aislinn. She looked back up at him. "It says here that it likes to eat nuts, Cornish Pixies and it hunts mongoose."  
  
"Harsh, I thought Phoenix were supposed to be nice to other animals?" said Draco, standing up and facing Aislinn.  
  
"So did I." said Aislinn, looking at the bird.  
  
Towards the end of the class, Hagrid told them that their homework assignment was to write a couple facts on their bird and the name they had chosen for it. Aislinn had suggested Delfin to be its name, so Draco agreed, since he didn't really care what the bird's name was, as long as it had one.  
  
The rest of his classes were about as boring as Care of Magical Creatures was. But when they were all over, Draco went back to the common room.  
  
Draco said the password, "Priori Incatatem," and the door invisible door slid open to reveal a quite large lair.  
  
Draco entered and when he did, he saw Piper sitting on the black leather couch in the room.  
  
"Hi. Where'd to go, on the Hogwarts Express?" said Draco.  
  
She looked up from the thing she was working and shrugged.  
  
"Look, I know you went somewhere, so where'd you go?" he said as he walked over to where she was sitting.  
  
She shrugged again, but this time gave a sly smile. Draco sat down on the couch across from her.  
  
"Do you and Rachel have some kind of rival going on?" he asked her.  
  
"Maybe." Said Piper.  
  
"Yea, that's what she said. How come you transferred from Durmstrang? I hear it's a great school." said Draco.  
  
"That, is something that you have to figure out on your own." said Piper. She got up, swooped up her books and parchment and walked off up to the girls' dormitories.  
  
"Why won't any one answer my questions?" muttered Draco to himself. 


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5: The Mysterious Person  
  
That night that Draco and Piper had talked seemed like so far away. It was already December and everyone was talking about the Yule Ball. A couple of girls had already asked Draco to go with them, but he turned each of them down. He was saving himself for Piper when he was going to ask her. He just had to find her first.  
  
It was Saturday and as soon as Draco finished his lunch, he went out into the hallway to start his search for Piper. He looked everywhere, but he kept running across groups of giggling girls; Piper not being the one among them.  
  
After about ten minutes' worth of searching, he finally spotted her. She was walking towards him, her head held down when someone poked a wand out from a closed classroom and muttered, "Stupefy," and closed the door again. Leaving Piper lying on the floor where she fell down. Her books scattered on the floor next to her.  
  
Draco ran up to her. Who could have did this? He tried to open the door where the person who stunned her was, but it wouldn't budge, it was locked from the inside. He took out his wand, pointed at the lock and said, "Alohamora," but the door still wouldn't open. He then used the counter- spell, Enervate, on Piper and she woke up.  
  
"What happened?" said Piper.  
  
"Someone stunned you." said Draco.  
  
"Someone stunned me? . But who?" said Piper, looking around.  
  
"That's what I'd like to know. Listen, before you go anywhere, would you consider going to the Yule Ball with me?" said Draco, looking at her with a hopeful look on his face.  
  
"Err.I guess, sure." said Piper, scooping up her books.  
  
"Here, let me help you." said Draco, picking up the heavy books that were lying on the cold floor.  
  
"Thanks." said Piper, smiling at him when he had picked up the last book; What can being an Animagus do to you?  
  
"Hey.. Err.what are you reading this for? You're not an Animagus. are you?" said Draco, looking her over.  
  
"Of course not.. It takes years of practice to become one.. Don't be silly." she grabbed the book from him, and walked away. "Oh by the way, thanks for reviving me."  
  
"No problem. So you're gonna be my date right?" said Draco. Piper turned back around and said that she would be, and continued to walk towards the entrance to the Great Hall.  
  
For the rest of the day, all Draco could think about was who put that Stunner on Piper. Was it Rachel, a teacher, or someone who was jealous of Piper and didn't want her to be his date for the ball? Well, whoever it was, their spell didn't work so well. * * * Almost everyone had signed up to stay at the castle for the winter holidays. Even the first years, who actually thought someone would ask them to go with them to the ball.  
  
Everywhere he went, Draco could never get any peace and quiet. Everybody, even the guys were psyched for the big event tonight. Piper had been avoiding him. He hadn't seen her anywhere, whenever he asked any of the girls in his house, they kept telling him that he had either missed her or they didn't know where she was. He had finally given up on searching for her, and decided to go up to the library to do some reading.  
  
When he had gotten there, it was worse. The librarian, Madame Pince, was gone for the first time in Hogwarts History. Draco couldn't blame her; the noise was unbearable. There were tons of people sitting, standing, talking, and doing who knows what. He gave up trying to look for a quiet place, so he just found a seat and a book and just sat there, trying very hard to keep his mind on the book.  
  
It was nearly eight o'clock and the library was beginning to empty. Draco decided to go back to his common room to change into his dress robes for the ball.  
  
His robes were a very dark green and reached the soles of his shoes. They were made up of a very thin velvet material. He put his wand in his pocket, just in case he needed it for something. Draco went back down into the common room, but didn't see Piper. Most of the people weren't there, so Draco just guessed that they were all in the Great Hall already. He exited the dungeon and went down to the hall.  
  
The Great Hall was wonderfully decorated for the ball and holidays. There was mistletoe hanging from the ceiling and about twenty Christmas trees, each decorated with different sorts of ornaments.  
  
Draco saw Piper standing by a group of Gryffindor girls. She was wearing a midnight blue dress that ended just above her knees on the right side and went down past her feet on the left side.  
  
She saw Draco and waved, walking towards him.  
  
"Hey." said Piper.  
  
"Hi. Where were you? I haven't seen you in a while." said Draco, putting his hands around her waist. To his surprise, she didn't back away. Instead, she just smiled up at him. "Do you wanna dance? This is my favorite song." she said and walked to the middle of the hall, holding his hand.  
  
Dumbledore had booked the Weird Sisters again and they were playing a very slow song on their screeching instruments.  
  
"You look great, by the way." said Draco, looking down at her.  
  
"Thanks. So do you. I like the color." said Piper, looking back at him.  
  
Then, even though they didn't know each other that well, Draco leaned in and pressed his lips against Piper's. She didn't turn away, nor did she slap him, but returned the kiss.  
  
When they pulled apart, Piper led him out to the garden. It was remarkably beautiful; there were flowers and fairies flying all around them. Someone had put a magical spell on some of the candles so they would fly around the benches where the people sat. There were also hedges all around the garden.  
  
Draco and Piper sat down on one of the benches. Piper sat in his lap, her feet on the seat.  
  
"The moon is gorgeous." she said, looking at the star filled blue sky. It's full moon shining iridescently, sending light all around it.  
  
"You wanna know what else is gorgeous? Happy Birthday." said Draco.  
  
"How'd you know?" said Piper.  
  
"I have friends. Here." Said Draco, handing her a rectangular green velvet box.  
  
Piper opened it and gasped, staring at the gold necklace, a moon and a star was on it as a pendant, "Oh you don't even know who I am, you didn't have to go and buy me a present."  
  
"It's all right. Here, let me put it on." Said Draco.  
  
He reached inside the case and clipped the necklace around her neck, then kissed it gently, moving his lips up and towards her lips. They sat, kissing, for about five minutes when someone shouted out at them from behind a hedge, and they looked up.  
  
"Mafoy! Haliwell! What do you two think you're doing? Stop that at once!"  
  
It was Professor McGonagall, and she looked mad.  
  
"I don't want you two to be doing that! That is not what this garden is for!" she said, then told them to go to their common room.  
  
When Draco and Piper had gotten back to the common room as McGonagall had ordered them, Draco suggested that they go up to the boys' dormitories, since some of the girls might be in the other one.  
  
Piper sat across from Draco on his four-poster.  
  
"Hey Piper?" said Draco.  
  
He could fell himself blushing. This was the first time something came difficult for him to do.  
  
"Yes?" said Piper.  
  
"Well, I was just wondering - since I like you a lot and all - err. would you maybe consider being my girlfriend?" said Draco with hopefulness in his tone and expression.  
  
Piper smiled, "I'd love to."  
  
"Great.. So you think Snape will give us detention if he finds us both in here?" said Draco.  
  
Piper shrugged.  
  
She leaned in across the bed to kiss him, so he was now lying underneath her. She unbuttoned his dress robes and the shirt under them to reveal a smooth but slightly muscular body. Piper kissed his neck, all the way down to his chest, being careful not to miss a spot, then back up to his lips. Draco put his arms over her back and fumbled with the zipper that held her dress. He undid it and took it off only to reveal her back. His hands ran over her smooth skin and touched her shoulder, which had a birthmark in the vague shape of a moon. They stayed kissing like that for well over half an hour, being careful not to do anything other than that, in case some one came in the room. 


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6: The Perfect Charm  
  
After the Yule Ball everyone in the Slytherin common room had left for the winter holidays, everyone except Piper, Draco and Aislinn. That morning Draco woke up in the boys' dormitories. He and Piper stayed up the whole night talking about a number of things. Piper was still sleeping in the four-poster next to his, so he decided to wake her up, just in case Professor Snape walked in and gave them both detentions. Draco went over to Piper's bed and shook her gently.  
  
"Hmm.I don' wanna get up yet.go 'way" said Piper, her eyes still closed. She pulled the covers over her head.  
  
"Piper.you gotta get up, Snape might come in here and bust us both. You and I both know he won't believe us if we tell him we didn't do anything." said Draco, pulling the covers back to see her face.  
  
"'Kay, give me ten more minutes." said Piper, and went back to sleep.  
  
Draco sighed and rolled his eyes. He went down to the common room.  
  
Aislinn was sitting on one of the chairs next to the wall, reading a book. She looked up from it when he entered, plopping down in the couch across from her. She continued to read.  
  
"What are you reading?" he asked, trying to make conversation while he waited to wake Piper up.  
  
She showed him the cover. It had a face of a girl behind something that looked like a tree; it had the word Speak written in the bottom corner.  
  
Draco nodded.  
  
The rest of the nine minutes he had were wasted away by silence. He got up to wake up Piper, but as soon as he reached the stairs, she was already walking down the staircase.  
  
"Good, you're up." said Draco, as Piper came down closer to him, he kissed her. Then they both went and sat down on the couch he had been sitting on earlier.  
  
Piper saw Aislinn and said hi. She looked up and smiled shyly, then got up from the chair and went up to the girls' dormitories.  
  
"How come she's always so quiet?" said Draco.  
  
"I don't know. Life sucks." said Piper.  
  
"What do you mean, what happened to her?" said Draco.  
  
"I don't know, she won't tell me." said Piper.  
  
After that, Draco and Piper walked out to the Great Hall to get some breakfast. Harry, Ron and Hermione were the only ones there. Draco assumed that the rest of the students had left for the holidays.  
  
Draco looked in their direction while Piper sat down at the Slytherin table.  
  
"Shame, shame.looks like some people aren't wanted at home."  
  
"Look who's talking." mumbled Hermione, not looking up from her book.  
  
"What was that Mudblood?" said Draco, walking over to their table, Piper was smirking at them all.  
  
Ron bolted from his seat and lunged at Draco, knocking him to the ground, punching him in the ribs.  
  
"Get off me Weasley!" Draco then rolled over so that he was on top Ron, and started to punch him in return.  
  
"Ron! Stop it, you'll get in trouble!" yelled Hermione and tried to pull Draco off of him, but Draco shoved her with his arm and she fell to the ground. Just then Ron, his nose dripping with blood, rolled back on top of Draco.  
  
"Hermione, are you okay?" said Harry and ran over to her.  
  
"Yeah, just get Ron away from Mal---"  
  
BOOM!  
  
Ron flew through the air and smacked against the wall hard.  
  
"Ron! Oh my gosh! Are you all right?" Hermione and Harry shouted together and ran to the crumpled heap that was Ron.  
  
"Oh, no.he's unconscious."  
  
"You!" Harry yelled at Malfoy, who was lying on the floor, and staring at the ceiling.  
  
"Oh, I'm really sorry." said a voice, sarcastically, and Harry looked towards it. "Why did you do this?" asked Harry, looking at Draco's girlfriend, Piper.  
  
" Oh, I think you have a pretty good idea why." she said.  
  
"And?"  
  
"He was beating Draco up!" said Piper. "Malfoy, beat him up!" yelled Harry, pointing in Ron's direction. Hermione was crouching next to him, trying to get him to wake up.  
  
"Hey! Don't yell at her!" Draco yelled at him, he was now standing up and looked pretty mad. He was bleeding from the corner from his mouth, his right eye swollen and beginning to turn purple.  
  
Piper pointed her wand at Harry and made him get out of her way by sending him flying through the air like Ron, and slamming him against the wall. "Stop it! All of you! This is stupid, we shouldn't be fighting li---"  
  
But Piper soon cut off her words; she had come up to Hermione and punched her on the nose. Hermione slumped to the floor, clutching her bloody nose.  
  
"Come on Draco. Let's go before the teachers come in here." she pointed her wand at the threesome and did a Memory charm, which made them all unable to remember what had happened to them, in case Dumbledore asked.  
  
"Thanks for getting him off me." Draco said after him and Piper were in the corridor, heading up to the Hospital Wing.  
  
"No prob. He's a jerk anyway. Why do you always call that Granger girl a Mudblood?" said Piper.  
  
"'Cause.she is. She's got muggle parents, and she's a witch, so that makes her a Mudblood."  
  
"Yea, I know what it is, but why? Don't you think that's kind of harsh, I mean.what if you were her and had to stand with the thought of being one?" said Piper.  
  
"Well.I've never thought of it that way." said Draco.  
  
He put his finger to his lip; it was bleeding really hard. His eye was getting worse as they talked. They turned a corner and entered through the double doors. Madame Pomfrey came running up to them.  
  
"Oh my, what happened?" she said.  
  
"Someone punched him." said Piper.  
  
"Oh, well come here and I'll get you cleaned up. Come, come." said Madame Pomfrey, pulling him by the arm to one of the cots in the room.  
  
Draco sat down while Pomfrey went to get her wand and some kind of brownish liquid in a tube.  
  
"What is that?" Piper asked her, pointing to the tube in Pomfrey's hand  
  
"Pain Killer potion. It's going to make the pain go away on the bruise." she said.  
  
"Oh." said Piper, stroking Draco's hair with her hand.  
  
"Here, drink up." said Madame Pomfrey, handing Draco the potion.  
  
"Ugh, this is gross." said Draco handing her the half-drunken potion back.  
  
"Drink!" said Madame Pomfrey, making him drink it by pushing the tube against his mouth.  
  
She muttered what sounded like, "Kids these days," then pointed her wand at Draco's lip and said, "Blutoir". The cut and bloodstain on his lip soon disappeared.  
  
"Now that that's done, get out, I have lots of work to do." she said, pushing them towards the door.  
  
Draco and Piper turned the corner to the dungeons. They didn't feel like going back down to the Great Hall.  
  
"Where did you learn to do a Memory Charm?" Draco asked her once they were in the common room.  
  
"Durmstang. Karkaroff - you know who he is right?" she said before continuing.  
  
" - Yeah." said Draco. They sat on the couch. " - Well, he really treasures the Dark Arts, so he wants the teachers to teach us everything before we graduate. So when the teachers here are still teaching you how to repel curses, we are learning the Memory Charm." she said.  
  
"But, wait.wouldn't you be learning that in Charms?" said Draco, looking bewildered.  
  
"No, not really.you see.the Memory Charm can be somewhat dangerous if you don't know how to use it correctly. If you do a really strong one, you might wipe the person's memory of everything, so that they don't even know who their parents were, or that they are even alive." explained Piper.  
  
"Oh. So technically, you already learned everything that I'm learning now?" said Draco.  
  
"Some stuff, yes." she said, smiling vaguely. 


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7: The Diversion  
  
The winter holidays passed pretty quickly. Draco had barely noticed that it was already January when Professor Snape walked into the fire-lit common room. He and Piper were sitting on the couch when he did.  
  
"The rest of the students are coming tomorrow morning. Get to bed." he ordered them.  
  
He waited to make sure they were getting their books, then walked back out of the room, his cloak swishing side to side as he took long strides. "Oh, well, I guess I'll go then." said Piper.  
  
She got up and so did Draco.  
  
"' Night." she kissed Draco on the cheek and left the room.  
  
"' Bye." said Draco.  
  
He picked up his Arithmancy homework and headed up the stairs to the boys' dormitories.  
  
The next afternoon after lunch, Draco decided to go up to the Library to possibly find Piper before his next class. As he turned the corner into a hallway, someone grabbed his shoulder and pulled him into an empty classroom.  
  
"What the? - " he said. The person pushed him against the wall and he immediately saw who it was. "Pansy!" Draco cried in surprise.  
  
He was staring into the eyes of a pug-faced girl with long dark hair.  
  
"Shh." she covered his mouth with her hand, "you don't want anyone to hear us.do you?" said Pansy; still keeping her palm firmly on his mouth and not letting him admit even a single peep.  
  
Draco raised his hand to try and push her away, but thought better of it. Her wand was poking out from under her robes.  
  
"I'll take my hand off only if you promise to be quiet.. Agreed?" she said.  
  
He nodded and Pansy did as she said.  
  
"What do you want?" said Draco, still staring occasionally down at the wand.  
  
"Ha! 'What do I want?' Very interesting question Draco. Hmm.. What do I want? Isn't it obvious? I want you."  
  
"W-what do you mean me?" said Draco.  
  
He was confused. What did she mean by ' I want you?' Was she jealous of Piper that he was giving her more attention than he ever gave Pansy when they were dating? Well what whatever she was feeling, either jealousy or hostility, he wasn't going to give Piper up.  
  
"Oh, don't play games with me. Can't you tell.I still love you Draco?" said Pansy.  
  
She began to move closer to him, so there wasn't any space left between their bodies.  
  
"This is a joke right? Parkinson, I'm with someone else now! You have to move on, I did!" said Draco, anger rising in his chest.  
  
"Don't yell at me! You're going to want me after you find out what happened to your precious girlfriend!" she yelled and then stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.  
  
Draco ran after her.  
  
"Wait! What do you mean? Will you stop?" as soon as he reached her, he grabbed her shoulder and whipped her around.  
  
"Leave me alone!" said Pansy. Tears rolling down her face, she ran out of the hallway, clutching her hood on her head.  
  
Before he had time to process why she was crying, he heard a loud scream. He ran to the source of it. Draco thought it came from the second floor, so he ran up the stairs as fast as he could. He almost fell off of one of them because it began to move.  
  
As soon as he reached a door, he turned the rusty handle and stepped inside the corridor. He ran through it. As the torches lit up, he could se an outline of a person lying on the dusty floor. Draco reached the figure and couldn't believe his eyes.  
  
"Piper!" said Draco. He landed on his knees and held her head up in his arms. There was puddle of blood underneath her.  
  
"D-Draco," said Piper in a hoarse whisper, "don't leave me."  
  
"I-I won't.. Who did this to you?" he said, choking on his own tears, which were helplessly coming out of his eyes.  
  
She opened her mouth in reply, but no words came out. Her eyes began to close and her head cocked to one side. She was dead. He kissed her lips softly.  
  
"No! Piper wake up.please! Piper! Wake up!" Draco cried.  
  
He had lost the one person he had cared for most, the only one he had ever loved.gone.  
  
As he was crying in great mourning over her lifeless body, he heard a loud meow in the direction where the entrance to the corridor was. Draco looked up and wiped the tears away from his face. At first he thought the sound came from Mrs. Norris, Filch the caretaker's cat, but then noticed that the creature was darker in colour. The cat ran closer to Draco. All of a sudden, Draco heard some footsteps in the distance.  
  
"Kaelan? Here girl.. Where are you?" said a girl's voice. Draco thought he recognized it as Aisinn Njass'.  
  
She walked into the corridor, looked left then right, and spotted Draco just as she did. Her eyes widened in shock. She looked from him to Piper's body, to the puddle of blood under Piper.  
  
"No, it's not what it looks like.." said Draco, trying to explain.  
  
"C-c-come on Kaelan." said Aislinn, then bolted out the door, Kealan following her.  
  
Great, now she'll probably tell everyone, and they'll think I'm the one who killed Piper, he thought, I wonder who did?  
  
He thought about this for a while. Was it Pansy? After all, she did hate Piper.Then he heard footsteps; these ones were heavier, as if more people were coming. He listened as hard as he could.  
  
"What is it Albus?" it was Professor McGonagall's voice.  
  
"Miss. Njass has informed me that there was a student up here. I believe she said it was Mr. Malfoy?" said Dumbledore, a note of concern in his voice.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy is a good student.. What would he be doing up here? Especially in a corridor allowed only for teachers and Prefects?" this, unmistakably was Professor Snape's voice.  
  
"Well I don't know Severus, why don't we ask Mr. Malfoy himself?" Dumbledore said.  
  
All three teachers appeared in the entrance. Snape looked somewhat concerned and McGonagall's lips were pursed, Draco could tell she looked furious. Dumbledore on the other hand, looked calm. They all looked around and then their eyes settled on Draco. Professor McGonagall gasped when she noticed Piper's limp body covered with shining red blood.  
  
"Explain." said Snape.  
  
"Now, now Severus. Don't be hard on the boy. I'm sure he didn't do anything wro -" said Dumbledore, but he was soon cut off by Snape's pitiful cries of hatred.  
  
"Didn't do anything wrong? He killed a student!"  
  
"Severus! I'm surprised! Surely you would have some trust in Mr. Malfoy? After all.he is in Slytherin." Dumbledore raised his eyebrows at him. "Now, Minerva would you be so kind as to take Miss. Haliwell up to the Hospital wing and see if Poppy can determine the cause of death? Severus - get Argus to clean up this mess. Mr. Malfoy - you come with me."  
  
Snape and McGonagall both nodded and did as they were told.  
  
Draco got up, took one last look at Piper and followed Dumbledore down to his office.  
  
When they were in Dumbledore's office, he motioned for Draco to take a seat opposite his desk.  
  
"So, Mr. Malfoy.would you like to explain what happened?" said Dumbledore quietly. Draco explained to him how he was going to find Piper, but was cornered by Pansy. Then how he heard a scream and went to investigate. Then, at last when he found Piper, lying on the floor.  
  
"Then by the time Aislinn saw me in there, Piper was already dead." said Draco.  
  
Tears were welling up in his eyes.  
  
"How did you know she was in that corridor?" said Dumbledore.  
  
"I - I don't know.. It was like something told me she was in there.and there was also the scream." said Draco. He looked back up at Dumbledore. He seemed as if he actually believed his story. Draco knew Snape or the rest of the teachers probably never would have.  
  
Dumbledore nodded, "I heard somewhere that Miss. Haliwell and yourself were a couple. Is that true?"  
  
"Yes." said Draco, wondering where he could be going with this. It felt strange talking about this with a grown up, especially one that wasn't even related to him or anything of the like.  
  
"Do you perhaps think that someone murdered her out of jealousy?" said Dumbledore.  
  
Draco sqiunted at him. Could he be right?  
  
"Well.Mr. Malfoy.I'll let you return to your common room now. Lessons will be canceled for the day, I shall inform the rest of the school."  
  
"But, I want to see Piper!" said Draco.  
  
Dumbledore held up his hand to silence him.  
  
"I will make sure Professor Snape tells you to come to the Hospital wing when Miss. Haliwell is all cleaned up. In the meantime, I will try to see if there is anything Madame Pomfrey can do to revive her.. Now please go up to your dormitory."  
  
"But -" Draco started to say, but was cute off by Dumbledore.  
  
"Go.' said Dumbledore.  
  
Draco got up and slumped out the door.  
  
When he walked out into the hallway, he saw Potter, Granger and Weasley.  
  
"Well it's about time you got in trouble. What's the matter Malfoy, does Snape not like you anymore?" crowed Potter, he and Weasley smirking, waiting for Draco to say something crude back.  
  
"Shut up Scarhead, if you know what's good for you." said Draco.  
  
He continued to walk back down to the dungeon. What really made him think about was not that the fact that Piper's Memory Charm worked, but the fact that Granger looked at him in a very strange way. She looked as if she fancied him, looking at him in a sort of swooning, droopy expression. 


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8: The News  
  
Draco sat down on the couch in the common room, waiting for Snape's call for him to go see Piper. Millions of concerns entered his weary mind; would Madame Pomfrey be able to revive Piper if she did, would Piper be able to recall who had murdered her?  
  
Finally, after about what seemed like hours, Snape barged into the room and ordered Draco to go to see Piper. Draco rose up quickly and ran as fast as he could past Snape, and up to the Hospital wing, almost knocking some girl's books out of her arms.  
  
When he finally reached the entrance, Draco slammed the double doors open and gasped at what he saw..  
  
Piper was lying on one of the beds in the room. Madame Pomfrey was covering her with a white sheet. Draco couldn't help it, but he could feel tears streaking down his face.  
  
"I'm so sorry Mr. Malfoy, but there is nothing we could do to revive her." said Professor McGonagall.  
  
"W - what happened to her?" said Draco, choking on almost every word.  
  
"She was stabbed in the back. I covered up the wound with a spell. I'm so sorry dear." said Pomfrey.  
  
She walked over to Draco and hugged him in a motherly fashion. Draco kept on crying and watched McGonagall and Dumbledore (who had just walked into the room) take Piper away on a stretcher. 


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9: Aislinn Njass  
  
February and March passed very slowly and full of wanderings and grief for Draco. He felt that Piper was his soul mate, and now she was gone. None of the other students, except for Aislinn, knew about Piper's death until after the ceremony that took place a fortnight after her death. Draco and Aislinn were about the only ones crying at the Slytherin table. Aislinn told him that Pansy had bribed many of her friends not to feel sorry for him.  
  
When Draco walked in the Great Hall, it was decorated with black draperies and tablecloth over the house tables. Draco noticed that these were the same ones used as last year when the dark Lord Voldemort had killed Cedric Diggory, from Hufflepuff.  
  
Dumbledore stood up and waited for the whisperings to die down.  
  
"Good afternoon everyone. I suspect that some of you might all ready know that one of our students had passed away. I would like to apologize to those who knew Miss. Piper Haliwell. From my understanding, Miss. Haliwell was murdered. I will not lie to you, she was indeed stabbed in the back by, I suspect, some one at Hogwarts. " said Dumbledore, but he was cut off by Ron Weasley, whispering quite loudly that it was Voldemort.  
  
"No Mr. Weasley, I do not think it was Voldemort." said Dumbledore.  
  
"Oh." said Ron, looking very red in the face.  
  
When the feast was over, Draco and Aislinn went back down to the common room. Her and him had become friends over the passed couple of months. Draco had persuaded Aislinn into talking to him, asking her various sorts of questions, her answering him politely.  
  
"Okay, let's go over this one more time. So you just found her there.with no one around?" said Aislinn, trying to sort out the facts.  
  
"That's right. I wish I knew who murdered her, then they'd be sorry." said Draco through clenched teeth.  
  
Aislinn nodded, understandably.  
  
"Hey, that afternoon when you were looking for Kaelan, did you see anyone come out of that corridor?" said Draco. Aislinn shook her head.  
  
Ugh right now, I sure wish animals could talk, thought Draco.  
  
* * *  
  
The evening classes were going to pass slowly, Draco could tell. After all this time, he was still busy thinking about that incident. He was walking to Divination when he heard two voices coming from the girls' restroom. The door had an 'Out of Order' sign on it. Draco pushed the door a bit to listen in on the conversion.  
  
"Why don't you just tell him that you're still here?" came a girl's voice.  
  
"I'm scared." came another girl's voice Draco thought he recognized.  
  
"After all this time?" said the first voice.  
  
"You'd be too if you had a wonderful life, then all of a sudden someone just decides to kill you.." said the second voice.  
  
"Welcome to my life, or I should say death." Said the first voice.  
  
Draco thought that these might be ghosts talking. He looked at his watch, two minutes until his next class, he better be going or else Professor Trelawney will give him detention.  
  
He climbed up to the tower where Divination usually took place and settled himself on the couch in the back of the room. The whole place smelled strongly of cinnamon and burned his nostrils. Professor Trelawney came out from behind a midnight blue curtain and stood in front of the many Slytherins and Gryffindors.  
  
"Welcome my students. Madame Hooch has asked me to remind the captains for Slytherin and Gryffindor to meet in the Quidditch field at promptly seven o'clock this evening. Now, let's get to my lesson plan I have for today." said Trelawny.  
  
She flipped through some papers and pulled one out.  
  
"Please take out See into the Future by Sabrina Coleman. I imagine all of you bought that book, seeing that it was on your list of supplies for this year?" Said Trelawney, looking at them behind her spectacles, "Mr. Malfoy, would you please be so kind as to read from the top of page twenty- nine, on The First Crystal Ball Convention of 1723?"  
  
"Err.okay.. 'The First Crystal Ball Convention, held in 1723, was divided amongst two groups. The two were named The Gazers and The Starlighters. The groups, however, were made up of witches, not wizards. Since wizards believed it was not a sport to interested in. The many wizards were afraid their wives would become so devoted to the study, that they went on strike. Crystal gazing was banned from that point. "' Until the Ministry of Magic Minister Pavlov Krilnuk stated that Crystal Ball gazing was just an activity the women were exploring. It has no harm whatsoever, and that the activity should not be banned from knowledge. Therefore, Crystal Ball gazing was indeed rethought of in the year of 1829.'" Draco finished and looked back up at Trelawney, she had a smile on her face.  
  
"Good, now we are going to do a group activity where I will pair each Gryffindor with a Slytherin. " Trelawney informed them.  
  
Some people groaned, others, like Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil from Gyffindor house, shrieked with delight. "Well I'm glad some of you will enjoy my lesson plan. Now when I call your names, you will get with that person and sit yourselves at one of the tables." continued Trelawney.  
  
More groans, these ones came from Draco. He looked at Potter and Weasley sitting on the other side of the room, Granger not amongst them; she had quit for Arithmancy, or so Draco was told.  
  
"All right. Mr. Potter and Miss. Parkinson. Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Weasley. Miss. Njass and Miss. PouPea." and so the list went until all Gryffindors and Slytherins were paired up.  
  
Draco was siting as far away from Weasley as possible. He was refusing to sit at the same desk with a Mudblood loving fool.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, come sit with your partner! I doubt you will get a decent grade in this class if you do not obey my wishes!" ordered Trelawney. Draco got up from his spot on the couch and went to sit across from his partner. From the look on Weasley's face, he didn't want to be paired up with Draco either.  
  
"I want one of you to gaze into the Crystal Ball and tell me what you see. Now be calm and patient, it might be a few minutes before you actually see something at all." went on Trelawney in her misty voice.  
  
Draco looked into the ball in front of him. All he could see was smoke circling all around in ringlets in the small ball. Then as if out of nowhere, Draco saw a face forming out of it. The face was misty and was hard to tell whom it belonged to. Draco could tell it belonged to a girl; the very large olive shaped eyes, the freckles..  
  
"Mr. Malfoy? Mr. Malfoy please share with us what you saw." came Trelawney's voice.  
  
It broke his concentration completely, and when he turned back to the smoky ball, it was just as clear as it had been when he sat at the table.  
  
"I - I didn't see anything." Draco lied.  
  
Trelawney looked at him in disbelief. He wasn't about to let everyone in the room know what he saw, especially the Gryffindors.  
  
"Very well then.. Now I want the rest of you to gaze into the future. And please try to see something. That's the whole point of this activity. If you want something, you just let yourself have it!" said Trelawney, a bit of disappointment in her voice. She then ushered the rest of the class to look again.  
  
Weasley looked into it this time and Draco saw his eyes widen. He pulled away from it, his eyes still wide with shock and beginning to water.  
  
"What is it Weasley? Saw your family finally getting rich?" sneered Draco.  
  
"Shut up Malfoy." said Weasley.  
  
"Why should I? Just because I haven't been criticizing you enough this year, doesn't mean you can suddenly do it now." said Draco.  
  
His comeback didn't come out the way he would've like it o because he was still busy thinking about what he saw in the Crystal Ball..  
  
Draco's next class, Double Potions, was a disaster. Professor Snape was in a particularly nasty mood and made them all write twelve and quarter inches worth on 'Why the Love Potion is only sold in Dark Arts stores?'  
  
"I want this done at the end of class. Miss. Parkinson, stop chatting to your friends and get to work." said Snape.  
  
He glanced at all of the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins, then sat down behind his desk.  
  
Draco was relieved when he finished his assignment just in time for the bell to ring. He looked over his paper; all scribbles.  
  
Oh I sure hope he can read this, thought Draco.  
  
He stood up, threw his book bag over his shoulder, turned in his assignment, and walked out the door. Aislinn was waiting for him by the entrance to the dungeon.  
  
"Hey." said Draco. "Err.I have an idea on how you can find out who murdered Piper." said Aislinn.  
  
"Really? How?" said Draco, a wave of excitement rising in his voice.  
  
"Well, it's pretty dangerous, not to mention complicated.but it's the only thing I got.then again.." Aislinn trailed off. "'Then again' what?" said Draco, urgently.  
  
He grabbed her by the shoulders, his eyes pleading for her to tell him.  
  
"You can always look for her.in spirit form." said Aislinn.  
  
Draco let go of her.  
  
"But what if she's not a ghost?" said Draco.  
  
"She should be.. I mean I read some where that a person can only become a ghost if they weren't killed by a curse." Said Aislinn.  
  
"Are you sure?" said Draco.  
  
"Yes, well at least that's what the book said." answered Aislinn.  
  
Draco sighed heavily.  
  
"Well we can always ask the Bloody Baron. He knows every ghost in this ruddy place." said Draco. Aislinn nodded slowly.  
  
"Wait.I don't get it, why'd you say it could be dangerous and complicated?" said Draco.  
  
"Because some ghosts can be dangerous. I don't know. Some of the books I've read lately, when some people die tragic deaths or are ripped away from those they love the most, they sometimes end up being dangerous." said Aislinn.  
  
"Oh.. Well let's just hope Piper's not like that." said Draco.  
  
He looked at his watch; ten minutes until seven o' clock.  
  
"Uh, look I have to get to Quidditch practice. Maybe we could ask him when it's over, or tomorrow even?" said Draco.  
  
"Okay, can I watch?" said Aislinn.  
  
"Of course." said Draco.  
  
He then looked at her; she was doing some sort of dance; her hands were clenched into fists and she was shaking her arms, her face in smile. "I'm afraid to ask, but what was that?" said Draco, bewildered.  
  
"My Happy Dance." Aislinn replied shyly.  
  
She widened her eyes and looked at him, then blew a bubble with her gum.  
  
"All right.. Come on, I'm going to be late." said Draco.  
  
They ran out into the Quidditch field. Aislinn went up to sit in the stands, and Draco hurried to get his Firebolt. When he did that, he went back up onto the field.  
  
"Hi every one. Well.err.I guess I'm the new captain then.. Hello Madame Hooch." said Draco.  
  
Madame Hooch, the Quidditch coach, was coming their way. Draco and the rest of the Slytherin team walked over to meet her.  
  
This was going to be harder than he imagined. He looked at Aislinn in the stands; she gave him a thumbs-up.  
  
"Good evening everyone. Today is not so much as practice, so I will guarantee you that you do not need your brooms. Mr. Malfoy, here are the dates for the Quidditch matches and the names of people on this team and the other Quidditch teams," said Hooch. She handed him a piece of parchment with information on it, "As you can see, the first match is going to be held against Gryffindor on the thirty-first of March. I encourage you to practice hard if you want to win this year. Also, the Gryffindors have a new Keeper, they will be training tomorrow afternoon. That is just some information you should know."  
  
"Who is it?" said Draco.  
  
"Pardon me?" said Hooch.  
  
"Who is the new Keeper?" Draco repeated.  
  
"It's Mr. Ronald Weasley," answered Hooch, "I'm not sure, but Mr. Potter is training Miss. Granger right now for Chaser. Considering the fact that they need another one.. They also have two new Beaters; Seamus Finnigan and Bert Reynolds. Since we are on the subject, you need a Beater, Mr. Singrom has informed me that he quit."  
  
When practice was over, Draco put his broom away and ran fast up to the stands to meet Aislinn. He got a good idea and hoped it worked.  
  
"Aislinn! I need to ask you some thing." said Draco.  
  
"What?" said Aislinn.  
  
"Are you any good on a broom?" said Draco, hurriedly.  
  
"I'm not really sure.. Maybe, why?" said Aislinn.  
  
"How would you like to be Beater on the team?" said Draco.  
  
"Well I'm not really comfortable being in front of a lot of people, but I guess.sure." said Aislinn, looking quite unaware.  
  
"Great. Err.can we meet here tomorrow to practice?" said Draco.  
  
"Okay. Do I need a broom?" said Aislinn.  
  
"Yeah, I'll let you have one of the Nimbus two thousand-ones." said Draco.  
  
He was so relieved. Last year Pansy Parkinson had tried to get a position, luckily Marcus Flint, the last Slytherin captain, hadn't let her on.  
  
"So.are we still going to ask The Bloody Baron?" said Aislinn, swaying her head from side to side.  
  
"Yeah, lets go now. What's up with your head?" said Draco.  
  
"Nothing." said Aislinn, smiling.  
  
Draco rolled his eyes, I have one weird friend, he thought. 


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10: The Specter's Advice  
  
As they were trying to find The Bloody Baron, they came across Peeves, the school Poltergeist. He had a bucket in his hands and was spilling the heavily perfumed liquid in a trail on the polished floor.  
  
Draco and Aislinn both pinched their noses.  
  
"Ugh, Peeves, what is that? It smells awful!" said Draco.  
  
Peeves laughed in his high pitched voice.  
  
"Something that'll surely annoy Filch." replied the squat little ghost of a man.  
  
"Peeves! I'll get you this time!"  
  
"Oh, Filch! I'd love to stay and talk, but I have to go." said Peeves.  
  
He dropped the bucket and flew down the hallway and out of view  
  
"Oh no.. Quick, in here!" Draco whispered to Aislinn.  
  
He grabbed her by the back of the robes and pulled her into a broom closet.  
  
"Wha -" said Aislinn, trying to hold her balance.  
  
"Shh, Filch will hear us!" whispered Draco.  
  
He saw Aislinn nod just before he closed the door and then it became dark.  
  
"It smells in here." Aislinn complained.  
  
"I know, be quiet." said Draco. "Peeves! Where did you go?" yelled Filch.  
  
When Draco was sure Filch was gone, he opened the door.  
  
"What was that all about?" said Aislinn.  
  
"Oh that? Well that was Filch, the Caretaker. Try to stay as far away from him as possible. He always tries to frame students for doing things. And the other one was Peeves, the school's Poltergeist. He causes most of the trouble Filch blames the students on." Draco informed her.  
  
"Cool." said Aislinn.  
  
"I wonder where the Baron is?" said Draco.  
  
Aislinn shrugged, "We better hurry up though, we've only got about an hour."  
  
Draco and Aislinn walked around for a couple more minutes then spotted the Baron talking to the Grey Lady, ghost of Ravenclaw. They waited until they were finished with their conversation, then ran to catch up to the Baron, who was floating away pretty fast.  
  
"Baron! Wait.. Please!" Draco called after him.  
  
The Baron turned around and squinted to see who it was.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Malfoy! Could evening." said the Baron, bowing to Aislinn, who blushed shyly.  
  
"Good evening to you too, sir. Err. Aislinn and I were just wondering.err.if you've seen any new ghosts around?" said Draco.  
  
"You know, now that you mention it Malfoy, yes I have, one. They call her The Lost Love. She doesn't talk to any one except Moaning Myrtle." said the Baron.  
  
"Moaning Myrtle? Who's that?" said Draco.  
  
He looked at Aislinn, she had the same expression on her face as he did.  
  
"She's the ghost who haunts the girls' lavatory on this floor. It's been out of order for over fifty years because she keeps flooding the place." said the Baron.  
  
At first he was bewildered, and then it came to him.  
  
"I know just where that is!" yelled Draco suddenly.  
  
"You do?" said Aislinn.  
  
"Yeah, come on, I'll show you. By the way, thanks Baron!" said Draco.  
  
The Bloody Baron bowed and floated away.  
  
"Draco, wait up for me!" yelled Aislinn.  
  
He ran to the girls' bathroom that had the 'Out of Order' sign on the door, Aislinn following him. When she finally caught up to him sometime later, he explained to her what he heard before.  
  
"Are you sure it might have been her voice?" said Aislinn, still panting.  
  
"It should've been.. I hope." Said Draco.  
  
He opened the door for Aislinn and waited until she stepped inside, hesitantly, then he went in after her. This bathroom was larger than the ones he'd seen so far. The sinks were in the middle and made of white marble and the stalls were in the far corner.  
  
"Hello? Is there any one in here?" said Draco, unaware if he was even talking to any body.  
  
"Harry is that you?" said a squeaky girl's voice.  
  
Draco looked at Aislinn in a confused expression and mouthed, "Harry?"  
  
Aislinn shrugged.  
  
A squat ghost of a girl with tattered robes, pigtails and glasses, flew out of one of the stalls.  
  
"You're not Harry Potter!" she yelled in her squeaky voice.  
  
"N - no, I'm Draco and this is Aislinn." He was really scared, event though she looked younger, somehow she was bigger and taller.  
  
"What do you want? This is a girl's bathroom, you are not a girl!" she yelled at Draco once again.  
  
"Are you Moaning Myrtle?" Draco asked, standing against the wall now.  
  
Aislinn was looking at both of them, not knowing what to do.  
  
"Yes. What do you want?" She asked again.  
  
"W - w - well, w - we just came to ask you if you've seen Piper Haliwell." Said Aislinn, trying to get Myrtle off Draco's back.  
  
"Yes, I have. Why?" said Myrtle.  
  
"Do you know where she is?" said Draco, ignoring her question.  
  
"You can usually find her in the dungeons or the Slytherin girls' dormitories. I can't tell you what she does or what she is, though.. Now get out of my bathroom!" screamed Myrtle.  
  
She flew up and dived headfirst into one of the toilets, splashing water all over everything.  
  
"For a ghost, she seriously needs an attitude adjustment." Said Draco the second they were out of there. Aislinn stopped in her tracks all of a sudden.  
  
"What's wrong with you?" said Draco.  
  
"I can't tell you what she does or what she is." Mumbled Aislinn.  
  
"What are you jabbering on about Njass?" said Draco.  
  
"That's what Myrtle said, 'I can't tell you what she does or what she is'" said Aislinn.  
  
Her eyes widened and she quickly ran the opposite direction of the Slytherin common room.  
  
"Where are you going?" Draco yelled after her.  
  
"Library!" Aislinn yelled back, her voice now distant. 


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11: The Encounter  
  
The next morning Aislinn barged into the boys' dormitories and pulled the curtains around Draco's four-poster, to reveal an annoyed teenage boy, his hair all over the place on his head.  
  
Draco shielded his eyes from the light, "Aislinn, you're not s'pposed to be in here!" said Draco, groggily.  
  
"Fine then, I'll leave." Said Aislinn with a bit of disappointment in her voice.  
  
"No, I want to know why you ran off to the library last night." Said Draco, getting out of bed.  
  
He had a white shirt and boxers on, while Aislinn was wearing a red shirt with a picture of a ghoul on it and blue and black plaid pants.  
  
"Err.." Said Draco, feeling his face blush.  
  
Aislinn just shrugged it off, "I don't mind. I want you to read this." She shoved a paper under his nose, which looked like it was torn out form a book, "I found it in Interesting Spirits of the Wizarding World."  
  
"'A Banshee, or sometimes credited as The Lost Lover. Is a spirit that is very secretive. It doesn't make many friends, maybe one of two at the most. It cannot go through walls like ghosts and poltergeists can. It's hair usually sways in a tangled heap around it's face, like it's caught in a massive wind. It glows silver whenever it is angered and is often mistaken for a bodiless spirit, which does not float, but walk around like a normal human being, it is see through like ghosts and poltergeists are, however.  
  
"' It wails whenever it is angered of upset at some thing or some one. It usually haunts the one who murdered it. It seldom looks like the person who died. A Banshee is usually in a woman's form and disapears whenever it senses danger or a human, unless the human is of course, the one it is longing for. It is called The Lost Lover because a person usually becomes a Banshee when they are torn apart from their soul mate through death.'" Read Draco.  
  
"So, what do you think?" said Aislinn.  
  
"I'm her soul mate?" said Draco.  
  
"I guess so." said Aislinn, smiling.  
  
She sat on the bed next to him.  
  
"By the way, I just love your hair." said Aislinn sarcastically.  
  
Draco blushed and tried to smooth out the mess on his head.  
  
"Hey.can you wait for me in the Great Hall, I have to get dressed." said Draco.  
  
Aislinn nodded and rushed out of the dormitory.  
  
As soon as Draco had put on a clean shirt and some pants, he got his wand and walked out to the Great Hall. Aislinn was sitting at the Slytherin table, picking at her food. Draco put some food on a plate for himself and sat down across from her.  
  
"So are we going to practice today, for Quidditch I mean?" said Draco, biting into his toast.  
  
Aislinn nodded. Just then, the three people Draco hated most stood up from the Gryffindor table and walked over to them.  
  
"So Malfoy, heard you've got a new Beater. Who is it?" Said Potter.  
  
Aislinn turned around to look at them.  
  
"It's Aislinn Njass. Why do you care Potter?" Draco retorted.  
  
"I have a right to know, I'm playing against you in three weeks. By the way, who's Aislinn Njass?" said Potter.  
  
"She is." Said Draco, nodding in Aislinn's direction.  
  
Potter laughed, and so did his two friends, "She'll be no match against our Beaters."  
  
"Well, we'll just have to see about that, won't we Potter?" said Draco, feeling a bit disturbed by the subject, "Come on Aislinn, we have to practice."  
  
With that they both left the table and went out onto the Quidditch field. Draco went to get the brooms, sack of sand they used for practicing, and the bat.  
  
"Okay, first I'm going to have to teach you how to fly a broom. Didn't you have flying lessons at your old school?" said Draco.  
  
"No, Madame Maxime only wanted people who wanted to be on the teams to have lessons. I didn't want to be on the team because I was afraid something would happen to me." Replied Aislinn.  
  
"All right let's see. What did Hooch teach us the first year?" said Draco quietly to himself, trying to recall what they did on their first flying lesson, "Oh, okay, put the broom on the ground and say up."  
  
Aislinn put the Nimbus on the ground gently and said what she was told. The broom flew up in her hands and she caught it.  
  
"All right, now mount it. Be careful though, it might fly for no apparent reason." Said Draco, getting the bat and sack then mounting his Firebolt.  
  
They flew up into the air. Draco let Aislinn get the hang of flying first, then handed her the leather-covered bat.  
  
"This is so fun!" Aislinn laughed.  
  
"Okay, now listen up. When I thrown you the sack from different angles, you have to hit it with that. It's the same size, color and weight as a real Bludger, so be careful. Are you ready?" said Draco.  
  
"Err.. Yeah." Said Aislinn, waiving her bat in the air.  
  
Draco flew up a few feet and pitched the heavy sack towards Aislinn. She stared at it as it fell down closer to her then smacked it with her bat. It flew a long ways, then landed in the far distance.  
  
"That was good. Hold on I'll go get." Said Draco.  
  
When he got back, they practiced with the sack a few more times, then Draco suggested if she'd want to try it with real thing. "I guess. Am I going to die?" said Aislinn jokingly.  
  
Draco chuckled, "No you're not going to die."  
  
When they finished practice, they flew back down on the ground. Draco put all of the supplies away and went back up to meet Aislinn, who was waiting for him in the field. "I'm pretty surprised though. You got the hang of it really fast." Said Draco.  
  
"Is that good?" Aislinn asked.  
  
"Really." Replied Draco.  
  
They walked into the castle and came across Potter, Weasley and Granger.  
  
"Back so soon Malfoy?" said Granger.  
  
"Yeah, as a matter of fact I am. What do you want Granger?" said Draco.  
  
"Nothing, nothing at all. I just never thought you would be hanging out with such a.freak." Said Granger, looking in Aislinn's direction.  
  
"Shut your trap.Mudblood." Said Draco.  
  
"I'll get you this year Malfoy, you just watch! Nobody insults my girlfriend!" yelled Weasley after Draco and Aislinn, who were all ready walking away from the spot.  
  
* * *  
  
That evening, Draco was roaming the halls because he had nothing else to do. He was still busy thinking about Piper and how much Aislinn looked like her, even though the details weren't exact. Piper had olive shaped green eyes and Aislinn had large dark blue eyes. All this thinking and processing he was doing in his mind had made him lose his touch on snide remarks towards Potter, Weasley, and Granger. He turned a corner and couldn't believe what he saw. It was what looked like a ghost, but not one that he'd ever seen before. This one was see through, but it wasn't hovering above the ground, it was in fact.walking.  
  
Draco remembered something and ran in front of it. It's hair was immediately rising and the spirit emitted a loud wail and floated away. Draco ran after it; down the stairs and into the dungeons. When it finally stopped about midway to the Slytherin common room, it turned around, cocked it's head to one side and looked at him in a wide-eyed expression.  
  
"P - Piper?" said Draco, trying to make conversation with the glowing spirit.  
  
To his surprise, it smiled, "Do you know who murdered me?"  
  
All he could do was shake his head.  
  
"That's too bad.. Do you remember when you asked me if me and Rachel and I had something going on between us? Well, here's your answer.. SHE BLOODY KILLED ME!" Piper screamed.  
  
Draco closed his ears, trying desperately to block out the sound, but it did no good. Her scream was even louder than a Mandrake's. Piper stopped wailing and screaming and looked down on him, lying on the floor, his arms over his head. She calmed down, her hair loosened to reveal shiny, dark, silky hair; no more tangled and bunched up. Her dress that looked like something worn in a hospital had became her school robes. She was turned back into a ghost instead of a banshee. She also looked more like the Piper Draco knew before.  
  
"W - what happened to me?" Piper said, looking at her clothes and touching her hair.  
  
Draco got up and looked at her, "Piper, I - it's you!"  
  
"Oh, Draco I'm so sorry. When I saw you crying over my body I didn't know what to think. I went crazy just thinking and longing to be with you again that I, that I.I turned into a banshee and started to haunt Rachel. Driving her crazy." Said Piper.  
  
"Rachel killed you? My cousin Rachel Malfoy?" said Draco. He couldn't believe it.. It couldn't be.. No..  
  
"Sadly, yes. I didn't know she could be so low. After all, she was Pandora's friend at Durmstrang.." Said Piper.  
  
"Wait, who's Pandora? And how could Rachel have killed you, she was at home, she told me she was going back to her parent's house for the holidays?" said Draco.  
  
"Pandora is one of the girl's who got me expelled last year from Durmstrang.that's why I had to come to Hogwarts. Rachel wasn't at home like she told you. Have you noticed that every time you saw Pansy Parkinson, she was hanging out with Graham Pritchard, a second year from our house? Now why would you think she would befriend a second year student? Don't you think that is just a little too friendly for her?" said Piper.  
  
"I don't get it. Why would she be friends with Pritchard?" said Draco, not understanding a word Piper was saying.  
  
"Because Rachel was little Pritchard. She went into the Restricted Section of the library at night one time and stole a book called Moste Potente Potions. ("I had to but that for my mother in Diagon Alley!") She read through the book and found a one called The Polyjuice Potion. She's been making that potion ever since the winter holidays started, then stopped after she completed her scheme." continued Piper.  
  
"I've never seen Pritchard around, was he hiding?" said Draco, trying to get all the facts together.  
  
"Yes he was. He was hiding in the second year boys' dormitories. Pansy bribed all of the second years not to mention anything to anyone, especially you or else she'd do something horrible to them." Said Piper.  
  
"That sure sounds like her. How did she change into him, I mean didn't she need to get something of his in order to be look like him?" said Draco.  
  
"Yes. She was using his hair for a bit, then his nails." Said Piper, looking very disgusted at the thought.  
  
"And how exactly did you come across all this information?" said Draco.  
  
"I followed them all to prove what they did. I also listened closely to their conversations. They were extremely disappointing. Then of course there were some fun parts.the time when I screamed and wailed in both their ears at night when they were in the dungeons. They had to go stay at the hospital wing for a week until they recovered." Piper sighed.  
  
"So are you going to leave me now?" said Draco, with disappointment in his voice.  
  
"I will always be in you heart Draco. I loved you before, and I still love you.but you have to move on.." Said Piper. Draco looked away, trying to hide his tears that were now creeping down his cheeks.  
  
"Oh, Draco.. You'll still be able to see me." Said Piper.  
  
"I know, it's just I love you, you know? I - I don't know how to live my life without you. These past two months I've been trying to find you and figure out who murdered you. And now that I've found you, I want you even more." Said Draco, looking at her caring face.  
  
"Draco I do know. But you know what? Unless you want to live the rest of your life longing for me to come back and turn back into a human, you're wasting your time. As much as I want you back into my arms, kissing me and holding me.I can't have you. Trust me on this, I want the best for you, and that's for you to move on.." Piper trailed off; she had silvery tears coming out of her eyes.  
  
Draco nodded his head. He knew Piper was right, it was just too complicated, he loved her so much. Piper turned and flew away, but before she did, she kissed Draco on the lips, sending chills all over his body, and whispered, "I love you."  
  
Draco just stood there, watching her in the distance, until she went through the wall and he was no longer able to see her again. He walked into the Slytherin common room and saw no sign of Aislinn so he went up to the boys' dormitory and fell asleep, dreaming about Piper. 


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12: Quidditch  
  
Three weeks later Draco and Aislinn were sitting at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall and waiting for when Dumbledore announced for them all to get ready for the first Quidditch match against Gryffindor. That morning after the encounter with Piper, Draco had told Aislinn what had happened and who the culprits were. Aislinn and Draco now both disliked Pansy and Rachel, no.they hated them. Every time they passed, Aislinn and him would throw dirty looks at them.  
  
Dumbledore stood up from his chair at the teachers' table in front of the giant hall.  
  
"I would like to have everyone's attention. The Quidditch match against Slytherin and Gryffindor will begin now. Everyone please go take your places at the stands and everyone who is going to be playing, please go get ready." Said Dumbledore.  
  
He and everyone else in the hall rushed to get outside. A couple of teachers were staying behind to wait for the students to leave.  
  
Draco went into the boys'' dressing room while Aislinn went the opposite way into the girls'. When they were all done, Draco gathered the whole team for a short meeting before the match.  
  
"Now this year we have to win. I'm serious you guys. Slytherin has to win the Quidditch Cup this year. We haven't won anything against Gryffindor and we have to this year. The reason I'm repeating this is to get it through your thick sculls. Here is the plan. I will try and get the Snitch before Potter. I'll try to do the Wronski Feint on him, hopefully that dimwit will fall for it. Riley, your job as Keeper is to try and protect the goals. Please concentrate on the Quaffle and not on Johnny. (Riley blushed) Aislinn and Kent try and hit the Bludgers hard enough to hit the opposing team members, especially the Keeper, that poor Weasley kid. And last but not least, Charlie and Will. Try to get that Quaffle to go through the goal posts. If you see Weasley blocking the top or left post, go for a different approach, I hear his Cleansweep Five isn't very fast unless he's using some one else's broom. Still, try to do what I told you."  
  
When Draco finished his speech, every one nodded and headed out to the field. Madame Hooch was walking over to the two teams. Every one in the stands was shouting so loud, Draco could barely hear her talking to them.  
  
" I want the two captains to shake hands." She said.  
  
Draco and Potter shook hands. The grasp on his and Potter's hand was a bit too hard than expected.  
  
"Good. Now get on your brooms and we'll start the game." Said Hooch.  
  
The two teams all mounted their brooms and rose up into the air. There was a new announcer by the name of Jack Oliver sitting with Professor McGonagall who announced who got how many points and what they did, he was from Gryffindor also, just like Lee Jordan last year. "Hooch lets the Bludgers free, oh, nearly got hit by that one Harry! The Quaffle is released and the game begins!"  
  
Draco searched for the Snitch, but couldn't find it. Meanwhile, Aislinn was doing great with the Bludgers, she was hitting them towards the other team and almost knocking Granger off her broom. Draco smiled to himself.  
  
One of the Keepers on his team managed to get a score with the Quaffle and every one in Slytherin cheered in the stands, waving their green flags, while every one else booed. But Draco didn't care; at least they were above by five points against Gryffindor.  
  
"Looks like Aislinn Njass from Slytherin is trying to gain up on Hermione Granger from Gryffindor, that piece of - " Jack yelled.  
  
"OLIVER WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE THIS INSTANT!" McGonagall screamed at him.  
  
"Sorry, Professor. Wow look, I think Malfoy spotted the Snitch! Harry goes after him, fast he is!" yelled Jack.  
  
Indeed did Draco spot the Snitch, and for real. He was pelting forward, his hand out in the air..  
  
Just a little bit.. Thought Draco.  
  
Potter pushed him in the ribs. And then Draco lost concentration and the Snitch was out of sight again. Even Potter couldn't see it. He flew back to his position in the air and waited for it again. What he didn't know was that Granger was in back of him, getting ready to surprise him and push him off his broom..  
  
"What's this? Njass is ganging up on Hermione.. She swings her bat and hits her.. SHE HITS HER? Oh my gosh that must of hurt, is she okay? Hermione goes pelting down towards the gound! Some body save her before she hits it!" yelled Jack.  
  
Draco turned around, there was Aislinn all right, and flying next to her was Granger's broom and Granger nearing the ground, unconscious. One of the Beaters from Gyffindor caught her and put her safely on the ground; Madame Pomfrey rushing over to heal her. Draco smiled and gave Aislinn a high- five. Aislinn smiled back and flew off to hit the Bludgers again.  
  
Just then, Draco saw the Golden Snitch again and this time he was determined not to lose it. He flew very fast towards it, leaning closer on his broom to go even faster. Potter was nearing him and flew in front of him. Draco flew under him and ended up in front again. He looked back at him and laughed, shaking his head, "We'll win this year Potter, you just watch!"  
  
He reached out his hand again and felt the little ball touch his palm. He almost had it. He grasped his hand hard on it, trying desperately not to let it go. He could feel it's fragile wings beating furiously against his grip. And then he could hear Hooch announcing that they won and the whole lot of Slytherins shouting and screaming with glory.  
  
"OH MAN! I was so sure Gryffindor would win! ("JACK!" Mcgonagall smacked Jack up side the head) But, may the best team win, right Professor?" Jack laughed nervously.  
  
Draco couldn't believe it, but he had to, he had caught the Snitch for the first time against Gryffindor. He landed on the ground to meet his happy team. He held the Snitch in his hand and shown it to everyone, holding it up. Aislinn ran to hug him.  
  
"We won!" she yelled, " You were awesome!"  
  
"Thanks!" Draco yelled back above the noise. 


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13: Guilty  
  
The next morning, Draco hurried to Charms because he had overslept like always. He passed the door to the room where Charms usually took place, luckily tiny little Professor Flitwick noticed him just in time.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Malfoy where are you going? Class is this way." Said Flitwick, standing by the door, getting ready to close it.  
  
"Oh, sorry Professor.." Said Draco as he walked in the classroom and took a seat next to Parvati Patil because there were no more free chairs, except that one.  
  
"All right there every one? Now today is exam day! I can see some of you are in delight and some of you not so much. So, why don't we get started with some warm-ups? Miss. Patil, what is a Fidelius Charm?" said Flitwick, a smile on his bearded face.  
  
"A charm used to hide a person from view." Said Patil; delighted that Flitwick decided to ask her first.  
  
"Right you are Miss. Patil! Take five points for Gryffindor! Mr. Malfoy, what is a Flame Freezing Charm?" said Flitwick.  
  
"It causes fire to feel warm and breezy to the victim." Said Draco, smirking.  
  
"Good! Take five points to Slytherin also! Now Miss. Njass please tell me what is an Entrancing Enchantment?" said Flitwick.  
  
"Err.a Love Spell?" said Aislinn, looking unsure.  
  
"Excellent, and we haven't even learned that one yet! Five more points for Slytherin!" said Flitwick, "Now every one please take out a quill and parchment. This will be an oral exam, where as I give you questions and you answer them on your parchment."  
  
After Charms class, there were no more classes afterwards because the teachers were being sympathetic and were letting them have one class per day, since the exams. Draco went up to the library to do some work he had left over. None too surprisingly he saw Aislinn sitting at one of the tables. She looked like she was reading a book or something. Draco decided to give her a surprise, so he went up behind her and poked her ribs gently, making her jump.  
  
"Sorry, but you have to admit, it was funny." Said Draco, looking at her contorted face.  
  
"I guess, but don't do that again, or at least warn me before you do." She said.  
  
"Okay, but then it won't be fun." He said.  
  
He sat down across from her, making his books smack lightly on the table. Madame Pince gave him a disapproving look.  
  
"So, what are you reading?" said Draco.  
  
"Speak." Said Aislinn, not looking up from her book.  
  
"You're still reading it? What's it about?" said Draco.  
  
"No, I'm re- reading it. It's about a girl who crashes an end- of-the- summer party and then goes back to school, but finds out all of her friends hate her. She also has to live with the fact that she got raped by a guy and she can't tell any one." Said Aislinn.  
  
"What do you mean 'she crashes it'?" said Draco.  
  
"In Muggle-terms it means that she called the Police in the middle of the party and they came and caused the party to end." Said Aislinn.  
  
"Are you Muggle-born?" said Draco.  
  
"No." Said Aislinn.  
  
"Then why are you reading it that book?" said Draco.  
  
Aislinn shrugged and Draco chose not to pursue the subject, seeing that it made her uncomfortable. They just sat there for the next hour, reading. Draco was his studying for Defense Against the Dark Arts and occasionally looking up at Aislinn as she stood up and stretched. At half past three, Draco got up from his spot and walked out to get some Lunch from the Great Hall. On his way there he almost ran into Cho Chang, a sixth year Ravenclaw.  
  
"Watch it will you!" said Draco, just out of the blue.  
  
Cho scowled and continued walking in the opposite direction.  
  
The Great Hall was filled with students. Draco went up to the front of the Slytherin table and collected his sandwich. While he was eating, he saw Aislinn walk into the hall. She sat across from him and continued to read, rapidly glancing at him with a thinking expression on her face. The third time she did that, Draco smiled at her and she broke into giggles; her turning a bright shade of scarlet.  
  
"Why do you keep staring at me?" said Draco; laughing at Aislinn.  
  
Aislinn shook her head, her hand on her mouth, trying to muffle the sound.  
  
"All right then." Said Draco, shaking his head schismatically.  
  
He offered her an apple and she gratefully took it.  
  
When they were finished, Draco stood up and walked over to the Gryffindor table, Aislinn following him.  
  
"So Potter, you finally lost. How does feel, having Slytherin actually beating you for once?" said Draco, in an interviewing sort of way.  
  
"Go away, Malfoy." Said Weasley.  
  
"No. It turns out that my new Beater was better than yours." Said Draco.  
  
"I said, 'go away Malfoy.'" Weasley repeated.  
  
"What're you, sad that your Mudblood of girlfriend got hit? Yes, I can see it now, 'Weasley Mourning over Dead Mudblood's Body'" said Draco, gesturing with his hand as if it was headline in The Daily Prophet.  
  
"Shut it, Malfoy." Said Potter, without looking up at him.  
  
"Seriously, you guys, what happened to her? It's not very serious.is it?" said Aislinn, a hint of sorrow in her voice.  
  
Draco looked at her in dismay, what is she doing? This is Potter and Weasley she's talking nicely to, the Mudblood lovers, thought Draco.  
  
He looked at the two and he could see that they were as shocked as he was.  
  
"Well.she's got a concussion and a broken rib. Madame Pomfrey's tending to it right now, but I think she'll be all right," said Weasley, "Why do you care anyway? You hit her remember?"  
  
Aislinn let out, what was unmistakably a whimper and ran away, sobbing.  
  
"See what you did, you miserable git!" said Draco and ran after her.  
  
"Aislinn! Aislinn will you stop? Please!" Draco yelled after her, panting.  
  
Wow, she can run really fast when she wants to, he thought.  
  
As soon as he caught up to her, he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her close to him, embracing her in a warm hug. She buried her face on his shoulder and continued to sob; her salty tears falling on Draco's arm. Her body shook slightly as she took deep breaths and let them out in a wailing sort of manner.  
  
"It's okay, shh.. You don't have to listen to that Weasley, he just wants to make you feel guilty." Said Draco, trying to calm her down.  
  
"B - but I - I am g - guilty." She said through tears.  
  
"Well, Madame Pomfrey will be able to fix whatever happened to her and it'll all be forgotten," Said Draco, unsure if it actually will be, "It's all right.. Shh.."  
  
"Are you s - sure?" said Aislinn, looking up at him, with red, watery eyes.  
  
Draco nodded, leaned in and laid a gentle kiss on her lips. When he pulled away, he saw that her eyes were wide open, with dark marks under them from her smeared eyeliner. She wriggled free of his grip and ran inside a near classroom, locking the door with a click behind her. Great, now you've done it, you scared her away, she now like Piper, you know, said a little voice inside his head.  
  
Draco chose to ignore this and unlocked the door with a spell from his wand. He stepped inside and looked around the large and empty dark classroom for Aislinn. He heard a noise coming from under one of the desks in the corner, so he walked over to it, only to find her crouching beneath it, sobbing hysterically. He walked over to her, cautiously, and laid a hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off and turned around so he wouldn't see her drenched face.  
  
"Aislinn.I - I'm really sorry.I - I just, I don't know, I - I - " said Draco, trying to find the right words to ease her pain.  
  
He put his hand on her shoulder again, but this time she did not refuse the kind gesture. He pulled her closer to him and put his arms around her. She continued to cry and Draco could feel his chest getting hot from the warmness of her tears and face. For the second time in his life, Draco felt like he understood what love was all about; it was caring for the person you loved the most, even if it had to be a close friend.  
  
He sat under the desk with her until she stopped crying, but as soon as she did, to his surprise, she fell asleep with her head in his lap. Draco tried to wake her, but couldn't, so he picked her up and carried her out of the classroom and into the Slytherin common room. There, he set her down on the couch, covered her with a blanket and sat across from her on a chair, watching her chest heave up and down as she breathed. 


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14: The Start of it All  
  
May had passed very quickly and at the end of it the Professor's had decided to be kind once again and not give them any homework, let alone lessons. Draco was reading the Muggle book, Speak, he had borrowed from Aislinn, and he had to admit, he really liked it. It was, as Aislinn had said, "Interesting." Muggles weren't as bad as he thought they were. Hermione Granger, as Draco had assured Aislinn, had gotten better. Madame Pomfrey had treated her and when Draco went up with Aislinn to the Hospital wing, just to make sure she was, Aislinn was relieved to see that, in fact, she was. She had apologized to her (Draco thought it was absurd, but Aislinn had insisted upon it) and Granger reluctantly forgave her. When Draco was packing that sunny June morning, Aislinn came into the dormitory looking extremely overwhelmed about something.  
  
"What's up?" said Draco, folding his pants.  
  
"I just talked to McGonagall and she told me my exam scores." She said brightly.  
  
"So, what'd you get?" said Draco, throwing his books in the trunk and hopping on top of it so it would shut. "Well.she didn't exactly tell me what score, but she said I got a very good grade, which means I passed!" she squeaked and Draco didn't even bother looking at her in amusement, because he was so used to her strange ways, instead he just smiled.  
  
"That's great! Congratulations!" said Draco, giving her a high-five, "Hey, err.I never got a chance to thank you for helping me find out what Piper was.thanks."  
  
Aislinn nodded. All of a sudden she ran up to him and clutched him in a tight hug, "I'm gonna miss you!" she cried.  
  
Draco followed suit and hugged her back, "I'm going to miss you too, but we'll be able to see each other again next year. Or the summer even.we are, aren't we?" said Draco.  
  
"Yeah, I guess you're right." She pulled away from him, her face red with embarrassment.  
  
Draco stared at her and noticed something he hadn't thought of before; he loved her. This was the same feeling he had when he saw Piper, but it felt different somehow. Maybe it was because the first time it was love at first sight, but now it wasn't. Here he was, standing with a girl, full of emotional feelings and he didn't know how to express them. So the only other way was his way. He turned her around, leaned in and kissed her. Draco felt like she knew exactly what he was feeling and didn't back away this time. It wasn't a power-hungry kiss, but a soft, gentle one, like when you sincerely, and truly love someone..  
  
When they finally pulled apart, it was when Crabbe came in and told them both to get to the Great Hall immediately because Dumbledore was about to give his end-of-the-year speech.  
  
* * *  
  
"The end of yet another year," said Dumbledore, "We lost a student.but gained a ghost."  
  
He gestured toward the ceiling and Draco saw that Piper was floating up in the air and waving down at him. She blew him a kiss and disappeared through the massive brick wall. Draco smiled to himself and looked back up at the old and feeble Dumbledore.  
  
"I will truly miss all of you. Some of you, unfortunately, had heard that I was.indeed, retiring," Dumbledore continued. He waited for the excited whisperings to die down, "I cannot sat who will be taking over for me, though I guarantee you will all find out eventually from, The Daily Prophet, I believe? Now, as this is my last year, lets all sing the Hogwarts song one last time and enjoy it while se still can, shall we?"  
  
Every one sang the song and when they were all finished singing it to their very own tempos, Dumbledore gave them the command that they could begin their feast.  
  
When the feast was over several short hours later, everyone went off to Hogsmeade Station in the horse-less carriages. Draco and Aislinn found a compartment to themselves and played with Aislinn's deck of Exploding Snap.  
  
Before that, Aislinn went and got dressed out of her school uniform in an empty compartment. She came back and Draco thought that clothes looked really good on her figure. She was wearing a black tank top that was covered with fishnet sleeves and dark pants with zippers, pinstripes and suspenders hanging down.  
  
"I like your clothes." He said, smiling.  
  
She smiled back, "Thanks."  
  
Several hours later, the train came to a halt and everyone climbed out of it. Draco waved a goodbye to Aislinn and went to meet his father.  
  
"Well Draco, do you care to tell your father who that was?" said Lucius.  
  
"Oh.. Aislinn Njass is just a friend." Said Draco.  
  
"What House?" said Lucius, looking stern.  
  
"Slytherin." Draco answered quickly before his father could get any ideas.  
  
"Ah.good," said Lucius, "Come."  
  
Draco followed his father out of the platform and headed home, once again, on a bus. This time none of the Muggles on it scared him, instead they pleased him. The whole bus ride home, he was thinking about his next year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the future after it..  
  
THE END 


End file.
